The present invention relates generally to sensor imaging and particularly to three dimensional sensor imaging. More particularly, the invention relates to three dimensional imaging with a single sensor.
The related art incorporates both two dimensional and three dimensional imaging with single and double sensors, respectively. Some related art may consist of a system with one sensor or camera which is time-shared between binocular-type optics using a mechanized mirror assembly allegedly producing a three dimensional characteristic caused by a horizontal parallax limited to the distance between left and right optics in front of the camera lens. The disadvantages of such system are that it has an undesirable horizontally "jogging" image of dynamic scenes and a severely limited stereo base.
Similar art tends to suggest a single camera system producing a vertically vibrated image requiring only biocular viewing. This system is reputed to produce some depth effect upon the viewed image but has bad side effect including vertical image instability.
Other related art of the three dimensional imaging resorts to a double sensor system. The double sensor system relies on horizontal parallax for three dimensional imaging. The only known related art which utilizes single sensor three dimensional imaging for binocular display is a situation where several photographs are taken of objects moving along side a platform holding the sensor. The several photographs are taken at different points in time and then are presented with a three dimensional effect to the viewer through horizontal parallax. However, this type of three dimensional system is non-effectual for objects moving toward the platform.
Effective stereo visual methods of related art for observing objects in the forward direction of the platform rely on two sensors. Such binocular sensor system mass, volume, power consumption, and cost are disadvantageous and sometimes prohibitive. Three dimensional imaging compared to two dimensional imaging doubles most of the hardware signal processing capacity requirements. Further, due to size, aerodynamics and heat-tolerance specifications, wide displacement of binocular sensors for horizontal parallax needed for effective three dimensional imaging prohibit the use of binocular sensors on many platforms, such as surveillance or combat aircraft.
The present invention obviates the disadvantages of the related art and offers surprising new advantages over that art.